Revised February 2025
THE “YELLOW SHEET”
SUMMARY OF THE CANADIAN STAFF POLICY AND PROGRAM AGAINST
WORKPLACE HARASSMENT AND VIOLENCE AT INTERNATIONAL UNION WORKPLACES & INTERNATIONAL UNION EVENTS
The Union is committed to providing a harassment and violence-free environment in all Union workplaces and at all Union activities. We have democratically passed tough, meaningful policies on harassment and violence at our Conferences and Conventions and negotiated such policies to protect our members. They are not just words. We take them seriously, because mutual respect must be the basis of interaction among trade unionists.
Harassment and violence are no joke. Harassment creates feelings of uneasiness, humiliation and discomfort. It is an expression of perceived power and superiority by the harasser over another person. In addition, all Union members, officers, and employees are entitled to be physically safe on Union premises and at Union activities. There are two principles fundamental to the trade union movement: human rights and solidarity. Harassment and violence strike at the heart of both.
“Harassment” means engaging in a course of vexatious comment or conduct against a worker in a workplace, including virtually through the use of information and communications technology, that is known or ought reasonably to be known to be unwelcome or workplace sexual harassment.
Harassment can be based on a prohibited ground of discrimination, as set out in provincial, territorial, and federal human rights legislation, such as race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sexual orientation, sex, gender identity, gender expression, age, record of offences, marital status, family status, disability, language, etc.
However, harassment does not have to involve a prohibited ground. Improper conduct or comment which has no work or event-related purpose can also constitute harassment.
Harassment includes sexual, racial, and/or personal or psychological harassment such as bullying.
“Violence” is a threat to exercise, an attempt to exercise, or the exercise of physical force against a Union member, official or employee on Union premises or at a Union event that causes or could cause physical or psychological injury or harm, and includes domestic or sexual violence.
The Union has a comprehensive policy for receiving, investigating and addressing complaints of harassment and violence. Under that policy, the Union has the ability to appoint anti-harassment/anti-violence counsellors at International Union events. They can provide you with a copy of the complete Policy, or it is available online at: https://usw.ca/anti-harassment-issues.
If you experience or witness harassment or violence during any Union event, you should contact an anti-harassment/anti-violence counsellor who will ensure your complaint is addressed in accordance with the appropriate policy. They will keep any complaints confidential, except to the extent necessary to prevent harm to anyone, to ensure the requirements of a fair investigation, to take appropriate corrective action, or as otherwise required by law.
At this event, the anti-harassment/anti-violence counsellors are:
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